VA Benefits — Can I Get Both Pension (Non Service Related) and Compensation (Service Related) Benefits?
VA Benefits — Can I Get Both Pension (Non Service Related) and Compensation (Service Related) Benefits?
No.
you can get the higher of either the service related (Compensation) or non service related (Pension/Aid and Attendance) benefits from the VA but you cannot receive both at the same time.
As a general rule, the higher levels of VA Compensation for service related benefits will exceed what you can receive for non service related Pension claims.
VA Compensation arises out of your service.
Either an injury or disease caused or made worse by your service.
This can include obvious injuries as being shot during a war, hurting your knee in training, etc.
It can also include diseases such as heart disease that occurred (or “manifested”) during the right period of time in or shortly after your service.
It can also include Agent Orange related diseases such as Diabetes Type Two, heart disease, neuropathy, and prostate cancer for those veterans who were “boots on the ground” in Vietnam or on a “brown water” ship that went near enough to the country to be considered automatically exposed to Agent Orange.
VA Pension has nothing to do with arising out of your service.
It simply means that you met the requirements of service and now you have a disease or injury or condition that qualifies you for financial assistance from the government.
The basic requirements (discussed elsewhere in detail on this website) are 90 days of active duty with a day during a war time period and an honorable discharge.
You also need to be in need of the “aid and attendance” of someone else or you are housebound.
Then the VA looks at your current financial situation (income and assets) to decide if you qualify, and if so, how much your monthly benefits will be.
With VA Pension, there are many planning options we have to help someone who does not meet the financial requirements to be able to legally meet these requirements to get the maximum benefits allowed under the law.
It is smart to meet with a VA accredited private lawyer to determine if you qualify for either one of these benefits.
Or both. And if you qualify for both — which is the one that will pay the most?
And even if the Compensation will pay the most, how long will it take to receive the benefits?
Often this is a 5 year process.
If you also qualify for Pension, it can be smart to get the Pension now, and then when you are awarded Compensation, switch over to that benefit.
Contact Us.
If we can be of service to you in determining which benefit is best for you at this time (and in the future), give us a call.
You can reach us by phone at 1-205-879-2447 and ask for Carolyn Alcorn.
Or you can fill out a form on our website and we will be in touch with you soon.
Thanks for reading, and have a great day!
For further research and information:
- FAQ on VA Pension (Aid and Attendance)
- What is the asset limit to qualify for VA Pension (Aid and Attendance)?
- Beware of “Pension Poachers” if you are looking at VA Pension
- Is it wrong to qualify for VA Pension?
- Look to health of surviving spouse to determine level of benefits available
- Definitions of commonly used words in VA Pension (Aid and Attendance)
- What does “war time” veteran mean in the context of VA Pension?